For example, a copying machine incorporates a feeding apparatus that supplies paper onto which an image on a document is to be copied. There has been a great demand for feeding apparatuses that are capable of supplying paper of various sizes according to the size of a document to be copied and in response to requests for making enlarged or reduced copies.
The following are some examples of conventional feeding apparatuses of this type. An apparatus showing in FIGS. 47 and 48 is provided with a plurality of box-shaped paper cassettes 62 which are mounted around a rotatable supporting rod 61. In this copying machine, any of the paper cassettes 62 can be selectively placed in front of the feeding opening 64 of the main body 63 by rotating the supporting rod 61.
As for next example, as illustrated in FIGS. 49 and 50, an apparatus includes a rotatable circular plate 51 on which a plurality of paper guides 52 are mounted. A plurality of paper trays 54 for storing paper 53 are formed by the circular plate 51 and the paper guides 52. In this case, by rotating the circular plate 51, the paper 53 is supplied from the respective paper trays 54 to the main body of the copying machine.
However, in order to achieve an effective use of space, a feeding apparatus is usually installed, for example, under a copying machine. In such a case, feeding apparatuses of reduced heights are installed over a plurality of stages so that various types of paper is supplied. In the case of the feeding apparatus shown in FIGS. 47 and 48, on the contrary, the paper cassettes 62 are attached to the supporting rod 61 such that the direction of feeding paper is parallel to the axial direction of the supporting rod 61. This apparatus when installed under a copying machine prevents an effective use of space. In other words, if such a feeding apparatus is incorporated into a copying machine, it causes an increase in the size of the copying machine overall.
As for the feeding apparatus shown in FIGS. 49 and 50, it can be installed under a copying machine for aiming at an effective use of space. However, when paper stored in the paper tray 54 is replaced with paper of a different size, this apparatus is incapable of aligning the center of the paper with a feeding center line, i.e., the center line in the paper feeding mechanism for transport of paper. Namely, this apparatus is unable to feed paper while aligning the paper center with the feeding center line. Thus, there is a need to provide a paper tray for each size of paper, thereby causing an increase in the size of the apparatus.